TITLE II SAMPLE MONITORING DOCUMENTATION D21 - D24 2021-2022 - ND Gov
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TITLE II
SAMPLE MONITORING
DOCUMENTATION
D21 – D24
2021-2022Sample Monitoring Documentation
for Title II Programs
Title II, Part A is a U.S. Department of Education (USED) grant program that provides supplemental funding to
help support effective instruction. The USDE awards Title II, Part A funds to state educational agencies (SEAs),
such as the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), which then sub-grant funds to local
education agencies (LEAs).
The Title II program offers an LEA the flexibility to design and implement a wide variety of activities that allows
the promotion of teaching staff meeting applicable state certification and licensure requirements and increases
the number of teachers who are effective in improving student achievement consistent with state learning
standards. Funds can also be used to provide principals and other school leaders with the knowledge and skills
necessary to lead their schools’ efforts in increasing student achievement.
The NDDPI is required by law to monitor local Title II programs to ensure compliance with procedures and
regulations. It is the State's responsibility to ensure that districts, and schools are held accountable concerning
Title II and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) regulations.
The purpose of this document is to assist schools and districts as they complete the Federal Title Programs
monitoring process. This document walks through each requirement outlining details on the requirement itself,
necessary documentation, special alerts to consider, and additional resources available. Below is a summary of
each category.
“Requirement” Section
This section outlines the specific requirements mandated by federal and state law. This section explains the
requirement’s rationale.
“Documentation” Section
This section explains the necessary documentation required to meet the monitoring requirement adequately.
“Alerts” Section
This section offers relevant information relating to the requirement. This section may simply indicate that the
requirement relates to other federal programs or outlines common submission or documentation issues.
“Resources” Section
This section outlines current resources available on the particular requirement.Title II Programs
General Information
Title II Use of Funds
In general, the purpose of Title II is to meet the following goals:
• Increase student achievement consistent with State standards,
• Improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders,
• Increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving
student academic achievement in schools, and
• Provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other
school leaders.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) clearly outlines the allowable uses of Title II funds (Sec. 2101) outlined in
each category below.
High-Quality Professional Development – ESSA promotes the implementation of high-quality, personalized,
evidence-based professional development for teachers, instructional leadership teams, principals, or other
school leaders focused on improving teaching and student learning. Under ESSA, professional development
should be sustained, personalized, and job-embedded initiatives that address identified gaps rather than stand-
alone, one-day, or short-term professional development. ESSA states this professional development may
include training teachers, principals, or other school leaders to do the following:
• Effectively integrate technology into curricula and instruction,
• Use data to improve student achievement (ensuring individual student privacy under FERPA),
• Effectively engage parents, families, and community partners and coordinate services between school
and community,
• Help all students develop the essential skills for learning readiness and academic success,
• Develop policy with school, local educational agency, community, or State leaders, and
• Participate in opportunities for experiential learning through observation.
Evaluation/Support Systems – ESSA supports the development and improvement of a rigorous, transparent, and
fair evaluation and support system for teachers, principals, or other school leaders based on evidence of
student achievement and may include student growth. It should also include multiple measures of educator
performance and provide clear, timely, and helpful feedback to teachers, principals, or other school leaders.
Effective Teaching of English Language Learners – ESSA supports the development of programs and activities
that increase the ability of teachers to teach English language learners effectively.
Effective Teaching of Children with Disabilities – ESSA supports the development of programs and activities that
increase the ability of teachers to effectively teach children with disabilities, including children with significant
cognitive disabilities. This may include the use of multi-tier systems of support and positive behavioral
intervention and supports.
Increased Knowledge/Ability to Teach Early Childhood – ESSA promotes the development and use of programs
and activities geared toward improving the knowledge base of teachers, principals, or other school leaders on
instruction in the early grades and on strategies to measure whether young children are progressing.This may include increasing the ability of principals or other school leaders to support teachers, teacher leaders, early childhood educators, and other professionals to meet the needs of students through age eight, which may include providing joint professional learning and planning activities for school staff and educators in preschool programs that address the transition to elementary school. Effective Instruction of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) – ESSA supports the development and provision of professional development and other comprehensive systems of support for teachers, principals, or other school leaders to promote high-quality instruction and instructional leadership in science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and computer science. Implementation of Formative Assessments – ESSA supports the training, technical assistance, and capacity- building in LEAs to assist teachers, principals, or other school leaders with selecting and implementing formative assessments, designing classroom-based assessments, and using data from such assessments to improve instruction and student academic achievement, which may include providing additional time for teachers to review student data and respond. Supporting Students Affected by Trauma and/or Mental Illness – ESSA endorses the provision of in-service training for school personnel in techniques and support related to identifying and supporting students affected by trauma or mental illness, including the use of referral mechanisms, partnerships with outside organizations, or addressing school conditions for learning such as safety, peer interaction, drug and alcohol abuse, and chronic absenteeism. Identification and Support of Gifted Students – ESSA supports the provision of training to identify students who are gifted and talented, including high ability students who have not been formally identified for gifted education services, and implementing instructional practices that support the education of such students, such as the following examples: • Enrichment, acceleration, and curriculum compacting activities. • Dual or concurrent enrollment programs in secondary schools and post-secondary education. Instructional Services Provided by Libraries – ESSA supports professional development intended to improve the instructional services provided by effective school library programs. Training to Recognize/Prevent Sexual Abuse – ESSA supports training for all school personnel, including teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and paraprofessionals, regarding how to prevent and recognize child sexual abuse. Feedback Mechanisms to Improve Working Conditions – ESSA supports the development of feedback mechanisms to improve school working conditions, including periodically and publicly reporting results of educator support and working conditions feedback. Career Readiness Education – ESSA supports training teachers, principals, or other school leaders on strategies to integrate rigorous academic content and provide effective career/technical education and work-based learning to help prepare students for post-secondary education and the workforce. Recruiting/Retaining Effective Teachers – ESSA supports the development and implementation of initiatives to assist in recruiting, hiring, and retaining effective teachers, particularly in low-income schools with high percentages of ineffective teachers and high percentages of students who do not meet the challenging State academic standards, to improve within-LEA equity in the distribution of teachers, such as the following examples: • Providing expert help in screening candidates and enabling early hiring.
• Offering differential and incentive pay for teachers, principals, or other school leaders in high need
academic subject areas and specialty areas, which may include performance-based pay systems.
• Teacher, paraprofessional, principal, or other school leader advancement and professional growth,
emphasizing leadership opportunities, multiple career paths, and pay differentiation.
• New teacher, principal, or other school leader induction and mentoring programs designed to improve
classroom instruction, student learning and achievement, and increase the retention of effective
teachers, principals, or other school leaders.
Recruiting Individuals from Other Fields – ESSA supports recruiting mid-career professionals from other
occupations, former military personnel, and recent graduates of institutions of higher education with records of
academic distinctions who demonstrate potential to become effective teachers, principals, or other school
leaders.
Reducing Class Size – ESSA supports the use of Title II funds to reduce class size to an evidence-based level, to
the extent the State (in consultation with LEAs) determines that such evidence is reasonably available to
improve student achievement through the recruiting and hiring of additional effective teachers.
Carrying Out Other Evidence-Based Activities – ESSA supports carrying out other evidence-based activities to
the extent the State (in consultation with LEAs) determines that such evidence is reasonably available and
identified by the LEA that meets the purpose of Title II.
Title II Supplement, Not Supplant
ESSA maintains the “supplement, not supplant” provision for Title II funds (ESSA Sec. 2301). The requirements
of this provision indicate Title II funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant any non-federal funds that
would otherwise be used for Title II activities.
In other words, districts may only use their Title II funds to supplement and increase the level of services
available for Title II-like activities. In no case may Title II funds be used to supplant (or take the place of) funds
from non-federal sources.
This provision is to ensure that federal funds pay for something “extra” in the LEA. The LEA may not decrease
the amount of state or local funds used to pay the cost of an activity simply because of the availability of federal
Title II funds.
For the Title II program, supplanting is presumed when any of the below instances occur:
• Title II funds are used to provide services the district is required to make available or provide under
federal, state, or local law/policy.
• Title II funds are used to provide services that the LEA provided with state or local funds the prior school
year.
• The same services are being provided in other schools within the LEA that are paid for with state or local
funds.Submission D21 – Recruit and Retain Effective School Personnel
Requirement
Districts prioritizing their Title II funds for the recruitment and retention of effective personnel
typically elect to fund activities in one of these categories:
• Retention/Recruitment Incentives – ESSA Section 2103(b)(3)(B) allows the district to
implement recruitment and retention strategies that intentionally target low-income
schools with high percentages of ineffective teachers and high percentages of students
who do not meet the challenging state academic standards, to improve equitable access
to effective teachers within the district.
• Leadership Support – ESSA allows districts to use Title II funds to provide effective
professional development for school and district leaders.
• Licensure or Coursework Support – Title II funds can be used to support staff in becoming
state-certified.
Documentation
Depending on the type of activity the district invested in, varying documentation may need to be
provided. The examples below are customized based on the use of funds.
Retention/Recruitment: If the district used Title II funds to pay for recruitment and or retention
of staff, the narrative response provided must include:
• How the district is complying with NDCC Section 15.1-09-33.1,
• A copy of the district’s board approved policy outlining the guidelines for issuing signing
bonuses to ensure a consistent, objective process, and
• How this investment has targeted those areas most in need.
Leadership Support: If the district used Title II funds to invest in leadership at the school or
district level, the narrative response should outline and provide:
• Evidence that new school and district leaders are provided with professional learning
opportunities to understand and support their local needs (i.e., mentoring program,
induction plan, personalized PD plan)
• How does the leadership support provided meet the ESSA definition of professional
development?
Licensure or Coursework Support: If the district used Title II funds to support local staff in
meeting licensure or coursework requirements, documentation should reflect on:
• What grades/subject areas have been most challenging to fill with properly certified
staff?
• How has the district addressed these issues?• How have Title II funds (or other funds/strategies) been used to address these needs? Alerts No alerts available for this submission. Resources NDCC 15.1-09-33.1 Title II Website Professional Development Definition
Submission D22 – Professional Development
Requirement
ESEA Sec 8101(42) defines the term professional development as activities that adhere to the following guidelines:
• Activities are an integral part of the school and local educational agency strategies for providing educators
(including teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel,
paraprofessionals, and, as applicable, early childhood educators) with the knowledge and skills necessary to
enable students to succeed in a well-rounded education and to meet the challenging State academic
standards; and
• Activities are sustained (not stand-alone, one-day, or short-term workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-
embedded, data-driven, and classroom-focused.
The statute goes on to summarize professional development activities.
Documentation
District documentation is needed to cite the evidence aligned to the use of Title II funds for professional development.
The following question MUST be addressed in the district’s narrative response:
• How does the professional development provided meet the ESSA definition?
• How do the professional development activities expect to have a substantial, measurable, and positive impact
on student academic achievement?
• How are professional development activities evaluated? What are the results of past evaluations?
Additional questions to consider may include:
• Describe the annual professional development requirements for educators in the district. Is there a specific plan
to monitor the total professional learning throughout the school year?
• What is the district’s process to ensure the effectiveness of professional development offerings and initiatives?
• What kinds of professional development offerings are provided for classroom educators during the school year?
What is available for principals and other school leaders?
• How will the professional development activities be used to help eliminate achievement gaps between sub-
groups?
• What professional development offerings focus on developing teacher and staff capacity for cultural
competency and understanding the effects of poverty?
• Does the district provide professional learning opportunities on family and community engagement for staff?
Alerts
No alerts available for this submission.
Resources
Title II Website
Professional Development DefinitionD23-D24 Class-size Reduction Requirement Keeping in mind that the intent and purpose of Title II, Part A is to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders, the strategy of class-size reduction, while allowable, has limited impact reaching only a very small percentage of teachers and an even smaller percentage of students. When using funds for class-size reduction, districts must show that there is evidence to suggest that reducing class-size in the circumstance can have a positive impact on student achievement When using Title II, Part A funds for professional development and class-size reduction, it is required the district only use Title II, Part A funds on evidence-based activities, to the extent that evidence is reasonably available. (ESEA section 2103(b)(3)(D) and (E)). Class-size reduction is defined as creating additional classes in specific grades/subjects to create small student-to-teacher ratios. The district retains the responsibility to pay for the original classes and Title II funds would pay for the additional supplemental classes. Title II, Part A funding can only be used to pay the salaries of qualified teachers to reduce class size. LEAs have the flexibility to explore these and other alternatives for reducing class sizes, provided qualified teachers are utilized, and Title II funds are only used to hire staff to reduce class size and the decision to use Title II funds for class size was reviewed by the administration and is justified as an evidence-based practice. Documentation See subsequent page. Alerts The district must be mindful that class-size reduction supported with Title II, Part A funds must be listed as a strategy to meet the district’s prioritized needs as assessed by the district’s annual needs assessment. Resources Title II Website
Sample Documentation – Submission D23 – Class-size Reduction Worksheet
Documentation for this requirement is submitted in the form of a chart and a narrative.
This documentation must include the grade level, total numbers of students in each grade/class, number of sections,
teacher to student ratio and the grade/class supported through class-size reduction strategy.
Class-size Reduction Worksheet – Example
20xx-20xx Number of Teacher:Student Teacher funded
Class Size Sections Ratio through Title II
CSR
Grade K 44 students 2 1:22
Grade 1 41 students 2 1:20
Grade 2 48 students 3 1:16 1.0 FTE funded
with Title II CSR
Grade 3 40 students 2 1:20
Grade 4 45 students 2 1:22
Grade 5 46 students 2 1:23
Grade 6 40 students 2 1:20
MS/HS Math 145 students 5 1:29 0.5 FTE funded
with Title II CSR to
reduce middle
school math ratio
MS/HS English 125 students 5 1:25
MS/HS Science 120 students 5 1:24Sample Documentation – Submission D24 – Class-size Reduction
Documentation for this requirement will summarize the district’s process for determining whether to use Title II funds for
class-size reduction and the criteria considered when making this determination.
Class-size reduction must be listed as a strategy to meet the district’s prioritized needs as assessed and documented
through the district’s annual needs assessment.
Additional questions to consider include:
• How do we select schools and/or classes to reduce class size and fund with Title II, Part A funds? Based on the
district’s needs assessment, schools with the highest level of at-risk populations should be considered.
• What kind of instructional strategies and changes in the delivery of instruction are supported by class-size
reduction research making this an evidence-based practice?
• Do all classes across elementary schools within school grade levels have equivalent class sizes?
• Do all content courses have equivalent class sizes within individual middle and high schools and across your LEA?
• Based on student achievement data, have you identified specific student cohorts that would benefit from
reduced class size?
• If federal funds have been used in prior years to reduce class size, has the district’s class-size reduction strategy
demonstrated measurable student achievement over time?
o The district must consider its student achievement data over a period to continue utilizing Title II funds
for class-size reduction. Annually, the data must be used to evaluate the class-size reduction efforts to
ensure students are achieving the State’s standards and long-term achievement gains for the students
participating in the initiative are realized.
Evaluating the effectiveness of the class-size reduction strategy and the corresponding instructional strategies in order to
increase student academic achievement must be planned, implemented, and evaluated annually. Here is an example of
what might be included in the annual review meeting in addition to data, agenda, minutes, etc.:
Achievement need Strategies to address Data collected to Person responsible Annual review of results
being addressed need measure for collecting and
effectiveness reporting data
Increase in reading • Professional • Classroom • Principal Classroom observations indicated
achievement for learning on guided observation data • Instructional that teachers needed additional
students in poverty reading for grade 2 • Student coach supports in order to implement
in grade 2 teachers achievement • Testing guided reading strategies. 2nd
• Reduce teacher to data in reading coordinator grade PLCs were restructured to
student ratio for (state, local) allow for this time.
grade 2
The attached data indicates that
students with a smaller class ratio
are making gains at a faster pace
than other grade levels with larger
class size.You can also read
